Box-making machine.



E. W. LABOMBARDE.

BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2e, 1906.

Patented June 7 1910.

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E. W. LABOMBARDB.

BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26, 1906.

Patented June 7,1910.

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E. W. LABOMBARDE. BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 26, 1906.

Patented June 7,1910.

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ooOsooco E. W. LABOMBARDE.

BOX MAKING- MACHINE. APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN. ze, 1906.

Patented June 7, 1910.

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BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIOAIION FILED JAN. 26, 1906.

Patented June 7,1910.

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E. W. LABOMBARDB.

' BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1906.

Patented June 7,1910.v

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MM MM E. W. LABOMBARDB.

BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. Z6, 1906.

960,348, Patented June 7,1910.

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APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1906.

Patented June 7, 1910.

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.fine/affan- E. W. LABOMBARDE.

BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIUA'IION FILED JAN. ze, 1906.

960,348, Patented June 7,1910.

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E'. W. LABOMBARDE.

Y BOX MAKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26, 1906.

Patented June 7, i910.

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' BOX-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June '7, 1910.

Application led January 2G, 1906. Serial No. 297,971.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIF. W. LABOMBARDE, of Nashua, in the county of Hillsboro and State of New Hampshire, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Box- Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to box-making machinery in which previously-scored blanks are coated with glue and the flaps folded one upon another so that their glued edges may be caused to adhere.

The object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in machines of the character `mentioned for increasing their rapidity of operation and enhancing their efficiency.

The invention has further for its object to provide such machines with improved mechanism capable of manufacturing boxes of various widths by an adjustment of the parts.

It has further for its object the provision of such improvements as will insure the passage of blanks through the machine with accuracy whereby they will be pro )erly folded along their scored lines and dise arged from the machine without imperfections.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,-Figure l represents in front elevation a machine embodying the invention.

Figs. 2 and 2a'represent an enlarged plan View of the machine, Fig. 2 representing one end thereof and Fig. 2a the other end thereof. Fig. 3 represents a vertical 'section through that portion of the machine illus.- trated in Fig. 2. Fig. 3a represents a rear elevation of the same, somewhat enlarged. Fig. 4t represents a longitudinal section 'through'that part of themachine shown in upper conveyors.

Fig. 2a. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged see-- tion through the'middle portion of the machine, and illustrates another arrangement for mounting the wheels at the end of the Fig. 6 represents a section on the line (3-6 of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 represent the means for effecting the feeding of a single blank. 'Figs 9 and 10 represent details which are embodied in the delivery end of the machine. Fig. 11 represents the glue or paste-wheel and the parts immediately adjacent thereto. Fig. 12 illustrates the guide for one of the twist belts. Fig. 13 represents a section on the line 13-13 of Fig. '12. Fig. 14 represents a section on the .,lirie.l 14-14 of Fig. 4. Figs. 15 and 16 illust-rate the means for mounting the belt-driving drum or cylinder. Figs. 17

and 18 illustrate the means for adjustably supporting the glue tank or receptacle. Fig. 19 represents in detail the means for mountmg one of the belts. Figs. 20 and 21 repyresent the 'spring-tensioned presser-wheels thatare employed in connection with the feeding mechanism. Figs. 22 and 23 illustrate the belt-shifting mechanism for the machine.

The machine consists of the following instrumentalities, to wit:-.-mechanisnr for feeding the detached or separate blanks successively; mechanism for gluing the edge of one of the liaps of each blank; mechanism for elevating the iaps so as to cause them to lie at a substantially right angle to the body of the blank; carrying mechanism for receiving each blank from the feeding mechanism, carrying it by the gluing mechanism and the flap-elevating mechanism, and finally delivering it to the pressing mechanism; mechanism for folding down the flaps with the edge of one flap resting against the edge of the other flap; and mechanism for pressing the folded and glued edges t0- gether and delivering the box from the machine.

The machine is provided with a relatively long bed 20, resting upon standards 21 22 and having parallel ways or shears 23 upon which the superstructure of the machine is adjustably placedf.

Feeding meoham'sm.-The feeding mechanismis placed at the right end of the mastantially horizontal plane. These belts eX- 1 tend around wheels 25 secured adjustably upon a cross-shaft 26, the bearings of which are adjustable by means not illustrated in detail. Said belts 2li/are likewise passed around an elongatedroll 27. The belts or carriers support the pile of blanks which 1s placed upon them as shown 1n Fig. 3, and they successively feed the lowestblanks 1n the pile, as willjbe explained. The shaft 26 and the roll 27 are journaled in a frame 28 which is adjustably supported upon the ways or shears 23 of the bed, power being applied to the shaft 26 by mechanlsm whlch will be subsequently described. In order tihat the blanks may be fed one by one, an

" eedais abutment consistingl of a finger 29 is arl blanks being fed to the main-carrying mechranged to extend vertically upward from the plane ofthe top stretches of the belts, (see Figs. 7 and 8.) This finger is placed slidingly in a grooved support 30 andis connected thereto by screws 31 passed through slots 32 in said finger. The upper end of the finger has a projection 33, through which an adjusting screw 34 is passed into the upper end of the support. A spring 331 is interposed between the end ofthe support and the said projection 33 to raise the finger when the screw is reversely rotated. The support itself is secured to a transverse slotted bar, or two parallel bars, 35, supported at the ends by uprights 36 rising from the frame 28. The said support .30 is provided with a screw 37 which projects through the slot in the bar and upon which is placed a milled nut 38 whereby the support may be adjustably attached to the vbar 35 at any point between its ends. Im-

mediately below the finger 29 .is a roll 39 having a ange 40 separated from the end of the finger by a space slightly thicker than the end of the blank, but small enough to prevent the passage of two blanks. The roll is adjustably secured upon a shaft 41, journaled in bearings inthe frame 28. The said shaft has placed upon it a plurality of adjustable rolls, each roll lying under the upper stretch of one of the belts 24, to prevent it from sagging under the weight of the pile of blanks. The number of the belts varies in accordance with the width of the blanks which are to be made into boxes. When blanks which are from 18 inches to 2 feet in width are passed through the machine, there may be eight of such belts, although their number may be varied to suit requirements. When blanks less in width are to be passed through the machine, the belts and their supporting wheels are all moved closer together, or some of them removed. The rollcarrying shaft 41 and the shaft 26 are both driven by power from the shaft 42 by an endless belt 43 passing around pulleys 44 45. The shaft 42 receives power from the main driving shaft of the machine, as will be subsequently explained. The shaft' 41 is rovvided .with'a pulley 46 over which the belt 43 passes, the belt being 'en aged therewith by a belt-tightener pulley 4g on the shorter arm 48 of a bell-crank. The longer arm 49 of the bell-crank projects downward, and 1s connected by a rod 491 with a hand lever 50 fulcrumed at 51, (see Fig. 3a.) By

vthrowing the handle forward, the belttightener pulley is moved to a position to loosen the belt 43 so that it will slip upon the pulley 44 and stop the rotation of the shafts 26 and 41. This stops the belts 24 so that a pile of blanks may be placed upon them and properly assembled, while the rest of the machine is running, without the anism. The said hand-lever 50 may be locked in either of several positions by ymeans of a locking pin 52 adapted to enter apertures in a segmental plate 53 connected to the rear'side of the framework 28, said pin being withdrawn when desired by a small lever 54 pivoted upon the hand-leverV 50.

For the purpose of maintaining the pile 'of blanks in position, upright side guidelboards 55 55 are utilized.' These guideboards are supported upon upright posts or standards 56, the bases of which rest upon transverse slotted guide-bars V571. The said posts 56 are passed rotatively through the bases,y and are threaded at their lower ends to receive 'nuts 57 by which they may be clamped to the said cross-bars. The upper ends of the said posts are provided with small hand-wheels 58, by means of which they may be easily rotated. The guideboards 55 are by this means adjustably se- Y cured upon the cross-bars and they may be moved toward or from each other for the purpose of accommodating blanks of different widths. Upon the said cross-bars 571 are supported U-shaped frames 431 equal in number to the belts 24, in which are journaled rolls to prevent the 'f sagging of the said belts 24. In order that the said belts 24 may insure the feeding of the blanks,

they are preferably formed of textile material covered or coated withsome suitable compound to cause them to frictionally engage the blanks and feed the lowest Vblank in the pile.

Above each of the carrier-belts there is placed a spring-tensioned roller 59,(see Figs.

602 being adjustable about the shaft 603 for- 115' this purpose, so that said rolls may be caused to lie close to the finger as shown in Fig. 7, or away from the finger as shown in Fig. 3. The rollers 59 eoact with the linger and the carriers in effecting the rapid and successive feeding of the blanks, operating in such case as combing devices or combing rolls. After the blank` leaves the belts 24 of the feeding mechanism, it enters between two rolls 61 62 which are journalediu the framework, the upper roll 61 being pressed yieldingly downward by springs, (not shown) which bearupon the journals thereof. These rolls are geared together by pinlons 63 64, the lower pinion 64 intermeshing cada@ with an idle pinion 640 (see Fig. 3) which is in meshA with a driving gear 65 on the shaft 42, to which reference has been previously made. These rolls grip the blank e with yielding pressure and present it to the main carriers which carry the blank from the feeding mechanism to the pressing mechanism.

By the employment of a series of belts for supporting the pile of blanks, it is evident that each bottom blank rests throughout its entire length upon the surface of said belts, which are thereby enabled to get a much greater frictional grip upon it to feed it 15 under the finger or abutment, than if the blank rested upon the periphery of a roll and was thereby engaged by a single line of contact. The belts insure the feeding of the blanks in such quick succession that very little space separates the left-hand end of 011e blank from the right-hand end of the preceding blank.

Main carrying mecham'sm.-The main carrying-mechanism of the machine consists of two lower belts 66 66 and two upper belts 67 67, veach upper belt being immediately above one of the lower belts, so that the two may grip a blank between them, and hold it against twisting, and the two co-acting pairs being adjustable toward and from each other, to accommodate blanks of dierent widths. l The two lower belts 66 extend from wheels 68 on the shaft 42 (see Fig. V3) forward to two small pulleys 69 69 on a shaft 35 70 journaled in an upright frame 71 on the bed (see Fig. 4). Thence the belts pass downward and around a large drivinwdrum 72; thence upwardand over an adjacent spring-tensioned pulley or belt-tightener 7 3, and back to the pulleys 68. The upper belts 67 pass from pulleys 74 on a shaft 79 directly above that at 42, forward and around larger pulleys 75, and then backward beneath 'adjustable belt-tighteners or idlers 76. The pulleys 75 may be secured upon a shaft loosely journaled at its ends in bearings afforded by boxes vertically adjustable in brackets or uprights 1011 longitudinally adjustable upon the bed, as illustrated in Fig. 1. These uprights'or brackets are connected by brace-bars 1012 with the uprights or brackets 1013 in which the shafts 42 and 79 are journaled. In some instances, however, it is preferred to journal the wheels 75 u on a stud-shaft 1014 'securedin arms 1015,- see Figs and 6,) pivoted at 1016 to a bracket 97 depending from a cross-bar 98. To each bracket is secured a radius-bar 1017, the other end of which is attached to a crossbar 96. The arms 1015 have fingers 1018 which may be adjusted by set-screws 1019 to swing the arms 1015 about their pivot 1016, and thus adjust the wheels 75 up and down with relation to the lower carrier- 65 belts 66.

The shaft 42 is driven by the carrierbelts, but the employment of a main drivingbelt has been contemplated which would follow a course similar to that of the carriers 66. The shaft 42 is geared to the shaft 79 70 by pinions 81 which are similar in size so that the two'shafts are caused to rotate in unison, and thereby effect a synchronous forward movement 0f the contacting stretches ofthe carriers 66 67. l 75 The pulleys for the carriers 66 67 are all adjustable longitudinally of their shafts for the purpose of adjusting the carriers themselves. The shaft 86 for the large driving drum 72 is journaled in bearin --boxes in- 80 dicated at 82 83 in Figs. 15 an 16. One box 82 is pivoted in a bracket 84, whereas the 'other box 83 is secured in place by a screw 85 which, when removed, permits the drum to be tilted upward to facilitate the placing g5 of the carriers 66 thereon. Secured to the drum-shaft 86 is a gear 87 with which intermeshes a gear 88 on a shaft 89 journaled on the standard 22, (see Fig. 4.) Power is imparted to this shaft 89 from the main-driving shaft 90 by a pinion 91 and gear 92.

The main driving-shaft is provided with fast and loose pulleys 821 822, mechanism being employed for shifting the drivingbelt, as will be subsequently explained. In order that the opposing stretches of the main-carrying belts 66 67 may be caused to contact, so as to firmly grip the blank between them, a plurality of small loose rolls is employed. The rolls 93 which bear against the upper surface of the lower stretch of the upper belt are journaled in an inverted U-shaped frame 94, having parallel side-bars, as shown in Fig. 5, said frame being supported at each end by a depending post 95 and pressed downwardly by springs 951. At the right-hand end, the posts 95 are adjustably supported by a cross-bar 96, whereas at the left end, the said bars are supported by the depending bracket 97 which is as stated adjustable upon the cross-bar 98. These roller-supporting frames are adjustable toward, and from each other, so that they may be always located in proper relation to the carriers. The depending'brackets 97 are utilized to support the belt-tightener rolls76 hereinbefore referred to.

The Series of rolls 99 which support the upper stretches of the lower belts 66 are journaled in U-shaped frames 100 which are adjustably secured to slotted cross-bars 101 102, whose ends are secured to brackets or standards 103 104 placed adjustably upon the shears or ways of the bed. As each blank leaves the feeding mechanism it is gripped by the upper and lower carryingbelts 67 66 and carried forward without danger of its becominfr dislocated during its forward movement, the loose rolls serving to press the said carrier-belts yieldingly to- 130 gether, without frictionally retarding said carrier belts or causing them to slip upon their pulleys.

GZungmeehansm.-As each blank is carried forward by the carriers, the edge of one of the flaps is coated with glue or suitable paste by a gluing or pasting. wheel 105, which extends into a glue tankor receptacle, (see Figs. 3 and 11,). The said wheel is adjustably secured upon a cross-shaft 107,

journaled in suitable bearings in the standard 108 and is driven by a chain 801 and s rocket-wheels 802 803 from the shaft 42, ce Fig. 3a). The fla is caused to engage the wheel by a loose ro l 109 journaled on a stud-shaft 110, supported by an arm 111. The said arm is adjustable on the cross-bam 102, whereas the roll 109 may be adjusted toward and from the glue-pasting wheel 105. For the purpose of preventing surplus glue being deposited upon the flap, a stripper 114 is supported upon the cross-bar 1,02. Its end is bifurcated to straddle the wheel. In

. order that the amount of glue deposited may be varied in accordance with the requirements of the case, the glue-wheel 105 is ad justed toward and from the stripper. The adjustment is secured by a cam 112 engaging a projection on the journal v1121 in which the shaft 107 is mounted, said journal being held against the eccentric by a spring 1122. The eccentric 112 is formed on a shaft 1123 journaled in the bracket 108 and having upon its end a hand-wheel 113. Usually after a'blank leaves the' glue-wheel, it pulls a fine thread of glue along with it, which might subsequently tend to coat some of the'operative parts of the machine, and consequently mechanism is provided for breaking such thread. This breaking mechanism consists of a roll 115 secured upon a shaft 116 which is journaled in bearings 117 adjustable on a cross-bar 804. Said shaft 1s driven at a very high speed from the shaft 107, by means of a large gear 118 and a pinion 119, (see Fig. 3a). A knife 120 is arranged tangential to the roll 1154 so as to strip the glue from the roll and cause it to drop back into the glue-pot The glue-pot itself is indicated at 121. It is supportedupon a frame 122 (Fig. 17) rotatably adjustable in the end of an arm 123 which is itself rotatably adjustable in the end of an arm 124. Y (For the purpose of illustrating the glue-pot and its supporting devices, it is illustrated in Fig. 1 out of operative relation to the glue-wheel, but it will be understood that, when the machine is in use, the pot is in the position shown in Fig. The'said arm 124 projects from the hub 1241, adjustably supported by an upright support or rack-bar 125, as shown in Fig. 17. The hub of the arm 124 is 'chambered to receive a shaft 126.1and pinion 127, the latter intermeshing with the rack 125 (Fig. 18).

The shaft has on its projecting end a handwheel 128 and is held normally against rotation by a spring 129 and a frictionwasher 130. By means of the devices thus described, the glue-pot may be adjusted to any desired position, and may be swung from under the bed for the reception of a fresh supply of glue.

Any suitable means may be utilized for keeping the glue hot, as, for instance, the gas burner indicated at 131 in Fig. 3.

Flay) elevating (mal breaking meelzam'smr- It has been stated that prior to passing the blanks through the machine they are scored. In Fig. 2, theblank is indicated at A, and the scored lines at a. As the blanks are bcing carried forward by the carrier belts 66 67, the flaps are first bent upward into vertical position by inclines 133 (see Fig. 5).v These inclines are formed of thin sheetmetal, and they are adjustably attached to supports 134 which are likewise adjustably secured to the slotted cross-bars 101. The, inclines may be set at any desired angle with reference to the path of the blank, and as the blank rides over them its flaps are raised toward a substantially vertical position.

Upon the supports 134 are upright pins 135 upon which are loosely journaled rolls 136. When small boxes are to be made, these rolls are set close to the wheels 7 5 and coact therewith `in effectively breaking the blank along the scored line thereof, Vbut when larger boxes are being made, the rolls are separated from the wheels, as shown in Fig. 2, as they are not then needed. Where the breakers 136 are utilized to break the blank along its scored lines in the manufacture of smal boxes, there is placed below each of the wheels 75a wheel 7 51. These wheels are ad 105 justably mounted upon the shaft 752. The wheels 7 5 are flanged at their ends to assist in breaking the blanks, and they coact with the saidl wheels 751.

For folding down the upturned flaps of the blanks, so that the glued edge of one flap may be engaged with the edge of the other flap, the following mechanism is employed: Below the upper stretches of the belts 66 66 are placed a seriesof rolls 137, (see Figs. 5, 12 and 13). These rolls support the belts, or carriers, and prevent them from sagging. They are journaled in frames 138 which are U-shaped in cross-section, said fra-mes being adjustably supported by slotted cross-bars 120 A139, the ends of which are secured to longi- 'belts141 142 are passedaround idlers 147 journaled o n pins or stud-shafts 148, each of which is connected by an adjustable universal joint 149 with a slotted support 150 adjustably connected with the slotted crossbars 139 by suitable bolts or fastening means, (see Figs. 2, 2a and 19.) Each universal joint 149 is so constructed that the stud-shaft 148 may be held at any desired anglcand secured thereat. To the upper end of each stud-shaft is attached an arm 153, having in. its end a slot in which is adjustably secured a stud-shaft 152 upon which is journaled a flanged roll 151 which bears against the upper edge of the belt 141 or 142, as the case may be, and prevents it from rising or leaving the roll 145. As the inner stretches of the belts 141 142 pass from the pulleys 147 to thc pulleys 143 145, they are passed under and guided toward a horizontal position by guides 155 attached to longitudinal bars 156 adjustably supported by brackets 1561 ,upon longitudinal strips-162 which rest upon posts or uprights 161. .The said posts` or uprights are provided with depending screws 1611 which extend through the slots in the crossbars 139 for the reception of clamping nuts 1612 by which the posts or standards 161 are adjustably secured in Vany desired position. The said longitudinal bars 156 are rabbeted or formed with right angled grooves 157 on their inner edges, (see Fig. 13,) to receive the outer edges ofthe lower stretches of the twist belts 141 142 so as to hold them firmly against lateral and downward movement. The guides 155 and the rabbeted or longitudinal bars .156 coactin guiding the inner and lower stretches of the folding-belts 141 142 from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position, so that a flap 'under either of the belts will be folded from an upright to a prone position while at the 'same time it is gripped and being carried along by the carriers 141 and 142 and the carriers 66 since the carriers all move in unison, as will be subsequently explained. The pulleys 147, as shown in Fig. 2, are set close to the ends of the elevating vinclines 133. As the blanks are fed along by the carriers, the flap upon the edge of which the glue is placed is laid down first and then the other tlap vis laid upon it. To eifect an initial pressure upon the two 'fiaps t0 effectively fold them along their scored lines, the lower stretches of the belt 141 or 142 are pressed against the carrier-belt 66 by small rolls 158 which are loosely journaled upon horizontal stud-shafts 159 adjustably secured to the posts 160. The said posts are niounted in supports 163 adjustably secured upon the longitudinal strips 162, as illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13.

The driving-shafts 144 146 for. the belts are geared to the'shafts-l65 and 70 immediately below them and the two lower lshafts upon the carrier-belts from the time it passes under the belts 67 and until it is gripped by the folding belts 141 142, shoes 166 are employed as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. in which are loosely journaled rolls 1661. These shoes are held in place by arms 167 pivoted upon the cross-shaft 98 hereinbefore Each shoe consists of a small frame referredto and longitudinally adjustable thereon. Each shoe is engaged by two downwardly rojecting pins 168 169 and is held yieldingy downward by springs 170. The said pins 168 169 are adjustable with relation to the arm 167 and may be secured in place after adjustment byv any suitable means. Between their ends the arms 167 are attached to a cross-bar 171 supported by uprights 172, the lower ends of which are secured to the uprights 1011. The i arms 167 are, as stated, adjustable transversely of the machine, so that the shoes may be caused to register with the carrier-belts when the latter have been adjusted.

Boa' pressing -meflmn.fz'sm/.*The mechanism for effect-ing the'pressing together of the glued flaps will now be described. It consistsy of two coacting belts, of which 180 is the upper and 181 is the lower, as shown in Figs. 2a, 4 and 14. The lower belt 181 is passed around a drum or cylinder 182 upon a shaft 183. The said shaft is mounted 1n bearings similar to those in which the shaft `86 is journaled. It isfconnected with the intermediate shaftv89 by a gear 184, intermeshing'with a gear 88. The lower belt tightener pulley 186 to the drum. The belttightener pulley 185 is journaled in' an intermediately-fulcrumed lever 204 against which tension is exerted by a spring 205 acting through a rod 206. 'I he belt-tightener pulley 186 is journaled` -in a bracket 207. The upper belt 180 passes around a beltpulley 195 directly above that at 192 and keyed slidingly upon a shaft 197. Thence said belt passes under and arounda pulley 190 on a shaft 196 andup and over a-belttightener pulley 1971. Said belt-tightener ulley 1971 is journaled in the end of an arm 198 of abell-crank, fulcrumed upon a crossbar 199. Against the depending arm of said bell-crank, tension is exerted by a spring 208 acting through aprod 2083. The-two shafts 194 and 197 are journaled bearing-brackets 209, placed upon the bedand they are lvgeared together by gears 210. In parallelism with the shafts 193 196 are two addi! tional shafts'211 212, upon which rolls .213 214, are slidingly keyed. The shafts 211 and 212, and the shafts 196 and 193 respec-l tively are all geared together whereby they are caused to rotate in the proper direction in unison, the gearing, however, not being illustrated in detail. The rolls 191 and 190,

` 213 and 214, and 195 and 192 are, as stated,

keyed upon their respective shafts, so as to slide thereon; and they are all caused to move in'unis'on transversely with relation to the machine by adjusting mechanism whichjecting from the left-hand end of thisframe 215 is a yoke 217 which embraces the belt-- pulley 192 and projecting from the right hand end of said frame is a yoke 218, (see Fig. 10,) which embraces the belt-pulleys 214 and 191 on the shafts 212 and 193 respectively. These yokes, together with the frame,.maintain the rolls and the various pulleys in proper alinement to receive the belt, and since the belt-tighteners 18,6 and 185 are supported upon the said frame 215,

as illustrated in Fig. 4, it is apparent that the lateral adjustment of the frame effects a lateral adjustment of the pulleys upon their shafts and of the belt 181 with relation to the cylinder or drum 182. The upper frame consists of a support '220, the ends of which are mounted to slide upon the cross-v bars 199 199. Below the support are two inverted U-sha ed frames 221 222, each' of which is provi ed with doweI-pins 223 projecting upwardly and loosely through apertures inthe vsaid support 220. Springs 224 are interposed between the inverted U-shaped frames and the support 220,A sovas to hold said frames downwardly withyielding presv sure, whereby the blank carried between the 'frames by the carrier-belts 181 and 180 will be subjected to a practically continuous pressure to cause the glued iiaps to firmly and adhere. In each of the frames 221 222 are journaled loose rolls 225 similar to thoseat 215. In the end of the frame 221 is a yoke 226 embracing the pulley 195, and in the end of the frame 222 .is 'a yoke 227, similar to that at 218 embracing the pulleys 213 190 on the shafts 211 and 196 respectively.

Mechanism is -provided for efectingla synchronous adjustment of the roll-carrying frames transversely with relation to the machine. rods 230 231 for the upper support 220 and similar screw-rodsl 232 and 233 for the lower frame, said support and frame being provided with internally-threaded apertures to receive said rods. The ends of the screw-rods are smooth and are journaled in the bearing-brackets 209, the forwardly ...projecting end 232a of the screw-rod' 232 being squared or angular, as indicatedin Fig. 14. On the end of the screw-rods 231 233 are placed gears 1240 and 1241 respectively, which intermesh with an interposed lgear 1242.' The last-mentioned gear is formed with a bevel gear 1243 which intermeshes with a bevel-gear 1244 on a longitudinal shaft 1245. On its other end the said shaft is provided Vwith a bevel-gear 1246 intermeshing with a bevel-gear 1247 formed on a gear 1248 which intermeshes with and drives two gears 1249 and 1250 on the screwrods 2311233l respectively. By applying a This mechanism consists of screwcrank to the squared end 232a of the screwrod 232, said rod may be rotated in either direction, with a simultaneous and synchro-l nous rotation of all of the other screw-rods to effect a lateral adjustment of the belts 180 and 181 and their supporting and pressing pulleys and rolls.

Belt shipping meczansmr-Meehanism is.

provided by means of which the driving-belt for the machine may be shipped by the operator from either .the feeding end of the machine orl from the front, this shiping mechanism being illustrated in detai in Figs.'22 and 23.. The-belt-shipper fork is indicated at 240 and it is secured upon'a longitudinally movable rod 241. To this rod is attached a handle 242 which projects forward beyond the front upright portion of the bed, where it may be easily grasped by the operator and pulled forwardor ushed rearward to effect the shipping of tlf in one direction or the other. The rod 241 and the handle 242 are mounted in brackets depending from the bed. Extending from the rod 241 to a point at the extreme right hand end of the bed is a rock-shaft 243 having at its extremity two handles 244 and 245. On its inner end the said ,rod is provided with a. pinion 246 engaging a rack 247 on the rod 241. By rocking the shaft 243 in one direction or the other, the rod 241 may be moved forward or rearward, as the case may be, to ship the belt from the pulley 821 to the pulley 822, and vice versa. .l

Operation-The operation of the machine has been explained in detail, but it may be summarized as follows The blanks A are placed in a pile upon the carrier-belts 24 with their ends resting against the linger 29. As the said carrier-belts 24 move forward day.

they carry with them the lowest blank in the pile which as it passes under the finger is pressed against them by the rolls 59 until it reaches the power-driven rolls (i1 G2. These rolls feed the blank from the feeding belts to the carrier-belts 66 67. The lastmentioned carrier-belts gra'sp the blank firmly between them and carryl it forward to the glue-wheel 105 which pla-ces along the under edge of the front flap a line of cement or glue, the Hap being held from rising at this time by the roll 109. As the blank proceeds, thestring of glue which is drawn from the glue-wheel by the flap is broken by t-he rapidly-rotating wheel 115. The blank proceeds with the carriers until it engages the elevating inclines 133, whereupon the flaps are elevated from a prone to an upright position, and are broken along their scored lines. As soon as the breaking occurs, the blank passes from beneath the carrier-belt 67, but is pressed' against the 1 carrier belts 66 by the roll-carrying shoe 166 until it 'is gripped by the folding beltsy which move in unison with the carrier-belts- 66. The folding belts coact` with the carriers ('36 in carrying the blank forward but at the same time they fold down the two upright flaps, the forward flap being folded irstand the other flap being folded down upon it so that the glued edge is caused to engage the extremity of theother iap. The two fla-ps are pressed togetherby the coactng belts until the blank passes between the rolls on the shafts 144 146 70 and 165. Then it is engaged by the belts 181 180 which are adjusted in position so that they are in aline-l ment with the overlapping edges of the folded flaps. These belts-carry the blank forward and as their contacting stretches are held yieldingly together by the series of rolls, the contactin edges of the flaps are pressed together suciently so that when it isdelivered at the left end of the machine, the flaps will stillk continue to adhere with-v out danger of separating.

, The machine is designed to run at a high speed `and to feed the box-blanks through the machine, one following the other closely, and conse uently many thousands of`boxes may be fo ded and glued in the course of a Having thus explained the nature ofthe invention, and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the niodes of its use, I declare thatl what I claim is 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a lower car. ri'er comprising a pair o f lower belts having upper horizontal stretches to engage a blank and means for actuating said belts, of an `upper carrier comprising a pair of upper pressers extending partway of the length.

foldillgbelts, said pressers, belts, and shoes being laterally adjustable to accommodate blanks of greatly varying widths.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a lower carrier,

ap folding belts, a horizontal pulley for each of said belts lying across said lower carrier, an upstandmg pulley foreach belt .outside the said lower carrier, the belts eX- tending around said pulleys, stud shafts for said upstanding pulleys and universally adjustable supports for said stud shafts whereby the angles of said shafts relatively to the carrier and their distances from the center thereof may be varied.

3. In a machine of the character de-` scribed, the combination of a lower carrier, Hap-folding means comprising. two belts a horizontal .pulley for each of said belts lying across said lower carrier, an upstanding pulley for each belt outside the said lower carrier, universally adjustable stud shafts for said upstanding pulleys, and other pulleys as at 151 on said shafts bearing against the upper-edges of said belts.

4. In a machine of the character described, a blank carrying mechanism comprising a lower endless belt, pulleys for supporting and actuating it, an upper endless belt, pulleys for supportingy and actuating said upper belt, one of the .last-mentioned pulleys being geared to one of the first-men# tioned pulleys to cause said belts to move inA unison, another of said ulleys for the upper belt being adjustable a out yan axis toward and from the lower belt, and relatively to the first-mentioned pulley for the same belt, and a pivoted vhanger for said adjustable pulley.

5. In a machine of the character .described, the-combination with two pairs of contacting endless carriers, instrumentalities for gluing, elevating and folding the flaps of blanks carried by said carriers, of a single pair oflcontacting endless carriersarranged to engage the folded blanks inline with their overlapping flaps to .press the same together, a sin le power shaft, and mechanism operated y said shaft for actuating all of said carriers.

6. In a machine of the character described, instrumentalities for carrying blanks and gluing and folding the flaps thereof, of pressin mechanism comprising two contacting end ess carriers, pulleys supporting said carriers, andmea'ns for simultaneously adjusting said carriers and their pulleys laterally.

7. In a machine of the character de- 5 scribed, the combination with a lower carrier comprising a pair of lower belts having upper horizontal stretches to engage a blank and means for actuating said belts, of an upper carrier comprising a pair of upper pressers extending partway of the length of the horizontal stretches of the lower belts and directly above the upper stretches of the lower belts, iap-elevatinginclines arranged adjacent the outside edge. of said belts, folding belts beyond the upper belts to fold down upon the lower belts the flaps of the blanks which are elevated by said inclines,

and pressing shoes extending from the upper pressers to the folding belts, said pressers, belts, and shoes being laterally adjustable to accommodate blanks of greatly varying widths.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a lower carrier, flap folding belts, a horizontal pulley for each of said belts lying across said lower carrier, an adjustable pulley for .the other end of each belt, and an intermediate guide for the acting stretch of each belt, said intermediate` guides be' located close to the lower carrier to hldltg the portions of the belts which are between them and the horizontal pulleys substantially parallel with said carrier, and the adjustable pulleys change the angles of those portions of the belts which are between them and the said from each other to accommodate blanks yof --d'ilferent widths, means for positively causbeing variable to diii'e'rent positions tol ing thecontacting stretches of said belts to move in unison in the same direction and with the same rate of speed, the lower belts projecting lbeyond the upper belts, means arranged by the sides of the upper and lower belts for elevating the flaps of the blanks, and means beyond the upper belts for folding down said iaps.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with two lower belts and two upper movable pressers superimposed upon and parallel with ortions of said lower belts, each lower be t and theA upper presser above it being laterally adjustable relatively to the other belt, of means for causing the coperative surfaces of said belts and pressers to move in the same direction and with the same rate of speed, flap-elevating inclines placed adjustably beyond the outer edges of said belts, and laterally adjustable folding belts arranged to overlap portions of said lower belts to fold down the flaps of a blank elevated by said inclines.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with two lower belts and two upper movable pressers superimposed upon and parallel wlth portions of said lower belts, each lower belt and the upper presser above it being laterally ad-l justable relatively to the other belts, of means for causing the cooperative surfaces of said belts and pressers to move in the same direction and with the same rate of speed, flap-elevating inclines placed adjustably beyond the outer edges of said belts, laterally adjustable folding` belts arranged to .overlap portions of said lower belts to fold down vthe flaps of a blank elevated by said inclines, and a laterally adjustable shoe placed above a lower belt between the cooperative upper presser and folding belt for holding blank 1s engaged by said folding belts.

In testimony vwhereof I have afliXed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ELIEw.y LABOMBARDE..

-Witnessesz RALPH E. FLANDERS, JosErH DUFOUR.

a blank on' the lower belt until said 

